1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to outboard boat motors, and more particularly to apparatus for stabilizing an outboard motor mounted on a boat which is being transported.
2. Description of the Problem Addressed
An outboard motor is almost universally adapted to being mounted to the transom of a boat such that the portion of the motor comprising a gasoline engine and its housing resides above the top of the transom and the propeller resides below the water line of the boat. As used herein, and as understood in the trade, the term "outboard motor" refers to an assembly of a gasoline fuel operated internal combustion engine enclosed within a housing from which a drive shaft extends generally downwardly to connect to a lower gear set providing drive power to a propeller. Directional control of the boat is accomplished by pivoting the outboard motor on its mount (by means of connected steering cables for all but the smallest motors), which directs the propeller in the desired direction. The typical steering mechanism has some components which are fixed to the boat and others which are moveable in order to angularly position the motor relative to the boat.
It is common to transport a boat to and from a body of water on an individual trailer with the motor attached to the boat's transom. In the process of pulling the boat out of the water and of placing the boat in the water with the trailer, the boat will generally be moved through very shallow water. So as to prevent damage to the propeller and the lower gear housing, the outboard motor is tilted to position the drive shaft at an angle in the range of 45.degree. to the vertical. This position of the outboard motor is maintained when the boat is mounted on the trailer and transported over the road.
An outboard motor is typically built with the majority of the bulk of its gasoline engine disposed rearward of its drive shaft, so that little space within the body of the boat is taken by the outboard motor. When the outboard motor is in the tilted position on a trailer as described above and is being transported, the majority of the weight of the gasoline engine is above the drive shaft. When the trailer is pulled around a turn at highway speeds, considerable force of inertia is exerted which causes the weight of the gasoline engine to tend to shift around its pivot point toward the outside of the turn. This shift of motor weight, which may be as much as 500 pounds in a large outboard motor, can cause damage to the boat's transom and even cause the trailer to sway. Outboard motor makers typically suggest that the boat owner secure the motor against such a shift by tying the motor in a sidewards position with a rope or an elastic strap. Such a safety measure may not be reliable, and may not always be employed, partly because it is troublesome and partly because a tie cord or strap of suitable size and strength may not be accessible when needed.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an apparatus for reliably securing an outboard motor against shifting during transport.
It is a further object of this invention to provide an apparatus for securing an outboard motor against shifting during transport and which is simple and quick to engage and disengage.
It is an additional object of this invention to provide an apparatus for securing an outboard motor against shifting during transport and which is designed so that it may be stored at or near its place of use for accessibility.
Other objects and advantages will be more fully apparent from the following disclosure and appended claims.